❓ The Minister for Education provides an update on the WA student assistance payment, highlighting the number of claims paid and criticising the opposition's stance. He challenges the member for Roe to support the initiative publicly.
AnsweredQoN 411Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STUDENT ASSISTANCE
PAYMENT
411. Dr J. KRISHNAN to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
WA student assistance payment, which is delivering millions of dollars of
support for Western Australian families.
(1) Can the minister update the
house on the delivery of this payment to Western Australian families?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether he is aware of anyone who does not support
this education-focused cost-of-living relief?
PAYMENT
411. Dr J. KRISHNAN to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
WA student assistance payment, which is delivering millions of dollars of
support for Western Australian families.
(1) Can the minister update the
house on the delivery of this payment to Western Australian families?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether he is aware of anyone who does not support
this education-focused cost-of-living relief?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Riverton for his question and for the outstanding work he
is doing in informing his constituents about the Western Australian student
assistance payment. Remember, this is a payment of $250 per secondary student
in Western Australia and $150 for any primary school student, whether they are
in the public or the private system. We on this side of the house believe that
every student and every family in Western Australia should receive assistance
in regard to education expenses. We believe that is incredibly important.
Unfortunately, the other side of the house does not agree with us. At every
opportunity since we made this great announcement, they have tried to criticise
it or to say that it is not enough, it has come at the wrong time or it is too
difficult et cetera. I would like to inform the opposition, and particularly
the member for Roe who has been leading the charge against this payment, that
as I mentioned last week in an answer to a question that the member for Roe
asked me, members of the community have welcomed this. Nearly every day when I am
in my electorate or other electorates, people come up to me and say, ''Thank
you very much; that is such a worthwhile payment.'' I do not quite
understand why, as the shadow Minister for Education, the member for Roe is
leading the charge against government assistance to students and their
families. I just do not get it. What that payment is doing is that it is
allowing parents to subsidise the payment of uniforms, shoes, football boots or
textbooks that their children need for their studies. It is incredibly
important assistance to families and students.
I would like to inform the member for
Riverton, the house, the member for Roe and those on the other side that as of
16 June, 348 526 claims have been paid. An amount of $30.27 million has been
paid for 210 846 primary and kindergarten students, and $36.67 million has been
paid for 146 680 secondary students. That
means that almost $67 million has already been paid for over 71 per cent of
eligible students . We are receiving
up to 2 000 claims per day. Does the member for Roe want to go out there and
hold a press conference and say that this scheme, in which 71 per cent
of eligible students have already had claims paid
and we have processed 348 500 claims, is wrong? I dare him; I challenge him. As
I said last week, I am ready to get into a car with the member for Roe
and go down to his electorate—to Katanning, Narrogin and even down to
Esperance. I would love to do a road trip with him. We can go to those schools
and encourage people to claim, because they have until Friday week, the last
day of this term, to apply.
Ms R. Saffioti : He could
choose the music.
Dr A.D. BUTI : He can choose
the music and I will decide on the bakeries that we go to! I do not need to
encourage members on this side of the house because I know that every member
has been out there encouraging people to apply. I encourage all members on the
other side to do the same. They are nothing but negative, but this is a great measure to reduce the pressures from the cost of
living. They should get out there. The Leader of the Opposition is about
to get up to ask the next question, but he should remember that his
constituents would love this as well. I am sure that many of them have already
applied for this great assistance.
Mr P.J. Rundle : Give us the
breakdown of the schools so that we know what we are dealing with.
Dr A.D. BUTI : I am prepared
to go with the member for Roe to his schools. Why does he want that breakdown
when all he does is oppose this payment? Has the member for Roe gone out and
asked his constituents about it or encouraged them to apply for it?
Mr P.J. Rundle : I am waiting
for the figures.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Has the member
for Roe gone out and asked the parents at his schools whether they have applied
for the payment? Member for Roe, have you?
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Education, it is your job to answer questions, not ask them. It also about time
you came to a conclusion.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Anyway, folks,
Friday week is the deadline Please encourage the remaining people who have not
applied to make an application. It is $250 per secondary student and $150 for
every student in primary school and kindergarten. It is a great measure.
Everyone should support it regardless of their political persuasion.
thank the member for Riverton for his question and for the outstanding work he
is doing in informing his constituents about the Western Australian student
assistance payment. Remember, this is a payment of $250 per secondary student
in Western Australia and $150 for any primary school student, whether they are
in the public or the private system. We on this side of the house believe that
every student and every family in Western Australia should receive assistance
in regard to education expenses. We believe that is incredibly important.
Unfortunately, the other side of the house does not agree with us. At every
opportunity since we made this great announcement, they have tried to criticise
it or to say that it is not enough, it has come at the wrong time or it is too
difficult et cetera. I would like to inform the opposition, and particularly
the member for Roe who has been leading the charge against this payment, that
as I mentioned last week in an answer to a question that the member for Roe
asked me, members of the community have welcomed this. Nearly every day when I am
in my electorate or other electorates, people come up to me and say, ''Thank
you very much; that is such a worthwhile payment.'' I do not quite
understand why, as the shadow Minister for Education, the member for Roe is
leading the charge against government assistance to students and their
families. I just do not get it. What that payment is doing is that it is
allowing parents to subsidise the payment of uniforms, shoes, football boots or
textbooks that their children need for their studies. It is incredibly
important assistance to families and students.
I would like to inform the member for
Riverton, the house, the member for Roe and those on the other side that as of
16 June, 348 526 claims have been paid. An amount of $30.27 million has been
paid for 210 846 primary and kindergarten students, and $36.67 million has been
paid for 146 680 secondary students. That
means that almost $67 million has already been paid for over 71 per cent of
eligible students . We are receiving
up to 2 000 claims per day. Does the member for Roe want to go out there and
hold a press conference and say that this scheme, in which 71 per cent
of eligible students have already had claims paid
and we have processed 348 500 claims, is wrong? I dare him; I challenge him. As
I said last week, I am ready to get into a car with the member for Roe
and go down to his electorate—to Katanning, Narrogin and even down to
Esperance. I would love to do a road trip with him. We can go to those schools
and encourage people to claim, because they have until Friday week, the last
day of this term, to apply.
Ms R. Saffioti : He could
choose the music.
Dr A.D. BUTI : He can choose
the music and I will decide on the bakeries that we go to! I do not need to
encourage members on this side of the house because I know that every member
has been out there encouraging people to apply. I encourage all members on the
other side to do the same. They are nothing but negative, but this is a great measure to reduce the pressures from the cost of
living. They should get out there. The Leader of the Opposition is about
to get up to ask the next question, but he should remember that his
constituents would love this as well. I am sure that many of them have already
applied for this great assistance.
Mr P.J. Rundle : Give us the
breakdown of the schools so that we know what we are dealing with.
Dr A.D. BUTI : I am prepared
to go with the member for Roe to his schools. Why does he want that breakdown
when all he does is oppose this payment? Has the member for Roe gone out and
asked his constituents about it or encouraged them to apply for it?
Mr P.J. Rundle : I am waiting
for the figures.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Has the member
for Roe gone out and asked the parents at his schools whether they have applied
for the payment? Member for Roe, have you?
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Education, it is your job to answer questions, not ask them. It also about time
you came to a conclusion.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Anyway, folks,
Friday week is the deadline Please encourage the remaining people who have not
applied to make an application. It is $250 per secondary student and $150 for
every student in primary school and kindergarten. It is a great measure.
Everyone should support it regardless of their political persuasion.
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